This invention relates to liquid chromatographic methods and apparatuses and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for monitoring the solvent in a liquid chromatographic system.
Liquid chromatographic apparatuses that automatically monitor the solvent are known. This feature has become increasingly significant with the increasing use of flash chromatography, arrays of columns that use solvent from the same reservoir and automated unattended operation of the chromatographic systems. Such systems are monitored to avoid having the system run out of solvent in the middle of a chromatographic run and nonetheless continue operation of some parts of the system without one or more of the solvents required. The increased rate at which solvent is used and the ability of some systems to automatically increase the amount of solvent needed during a chromatographic run has resulted in systems unexpectedly running out of solvent during chromatographic runs. For example, some systems can increase the length of a chromatographic run without operator intervention, such as when the programmed time has elapsed but a peak is being detected.
One prior art system having the feature of monitoring the solvent during a chromatographic run tracks the amount of solvent used during a run in accordance with the program for the run and when the solvent is predicted to run out, terminates the chromatographic run. This system has several disadvantages, such as: (1) it requires that the operator correctly enter into the system the starting amount of solvent; (2) it requires operator intervention when the chromatographic system is terminated to replenish the solvent and reset the system; (3) it is more complicated than desired; and (4) it can fail to provide a warning ahead of time that the system needs to have solvent replenished when the run is automatically extended.